


Spilled Wine, Spilled Secret

by sistersophie



Category: The Grand Tour (TV) RPF, Top Gear (UK) RPF
Genre: Christmas Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-14
Updated: 2019-01-14
Packaged: 2019-10-10 03:51:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,865
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17418563
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sistersophie/pseuds/sistersophie
Summary: What is Jeremy going to do about Richard's loose lips at the annual W. Chump and Sons holiday party?





	Spilled Wine, Spilled Secret

**Author's Note:**

  * For [LassieLowrider](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LassieLowrider/gifts).



> Originally written for the CHM Slash Secret Santa fic exchange, based on this prompt from LassieLowrider: _“Mistletoe and wine” // Christmas party at the office, and one of them accidentally reveals their so far secret (badly kept, maybe? Or did literally no one know?) relationship._

Richard fastened his trousers, and then pulled a fresh t-shirt over his head. He sat down on his bed to put on his socks and trainers, tying the shoes tightly around his feet. Now for the _piece de resistance._

He picked up the expensive jumper that Jeremy had given him for his birthday. It was ribbed lambswool, with vertical stripes in navy blue and grey. It was not what anyone would call a holiday-themed garment, but Richard had loved it from the moment he’d taken it from the packaging.

He ran his fingers over the fabric, enjoying the softness, before finally putting it on. It fit him snugly around his hips and wrists but gave him plenty of space around the neck – just what he liked in a winter jumper. He checked himself in the mirror and fluffed up his hair with his fingers, hoping he looked suitably roguish and appealing. 

He couldn’t wait for Jeremy to see him.

They’d been dating for just under three months now. Jeremy had asked him to keep it secret, making the excuse that they didn’t want to complicate things in the office, at least for now. Richard had gone along with this initially, but now he found that it was getting harder and harder to hide his growing affection for the big man. It was more than just a workplace fling – he was actually head over heels in love, but he wasn’t completely sure that Jeremy felt the same way.

Richard stared at his reflection, shifting his gaze at last to the bed behind him. What Jeremy had done to him in this very room just two nights ago had been amazing, and Richard wanted nothing more than to shout his feelings to the entire world. But if Jeremy wasn’t ready yet, then Richard would respect that. 

Yes, he would.

He snapped off the bedroom light and dashed down the stairs for his jacket and keys.

****

The W. Chump and Sons office was already packed with partygoers when Richard arrived. Christmas music was playing over the audio system, and a fully decorated tree stood in the lobby. Several refreshment stations took up one corner of the atrium, while tables and chairs were set up opposite them.

Richard hung up his jacket and headed directly for the drinks table. He accepted a gin-and-tonic from the barkeep and began to greet his friends and colleagues. James was already there, with Sarah by his side, regaling several interns with a story. Andy was in another circle of people, his suit already rumpled, his hair looking in desperate need of a cut. 

Richard looked around for Jeremy but couldn’t find him. This concerned him a little; Jeremy was usually prompt for these kinds of social occasions. Richard had offered to pick him up along the way, but Jeremy had declined this. It was just another example of how Jeremy wanted to keep their relationship a secret.

 _You idiot_ , Richard thought anxiously, setting his glass down on a nearby table and pulling out his phone to send a text. _You better not be drunk or dead in an alley somewhere._

He began to type: **Where are you, you big…** , but then the front door swung open and Jeremy’s unmistakable voice boomed in the hallway. Richard shoved the phone back in his pocket, turned away from the door, and took a big drink. He felt a mixture of relief and annoyance.

“Nice jumper,” Iain May observed to him in passing.

“Er, thanks, mate,” Richard replied, flushing a little, and retreating to the drinks table for a refill on the gin-and-tonic. _Slow down, there_ , his more cautious side said. _Or someone will have to drive YOU home._

“Like Jeremy,” he whispered to himself, then glanced around nervously. But no one else was near.

Jeremy was making his way through the crowd, laughing and shaking hands with people, looking like he had nary a care in the world. Richard withdrew into a corner of the room, sipping at his drink, feeling wretched. He wanted to rush out and hug Jeremy, tell everyone there that they were a couple, damn it, and if anyone had a problem with it, they would have to deal with his two fists.

Instead, he drained his second glass of the evening.

“Hammond,” said a voice nearby. It was James, and he was alone. 

“Hullo,” said Richard.

“That is an amazing jumper you’re wearing.”

“Thanks. J – Just something I found in my closet.” Oh, he hated lying like this.

James lifted an eyebrow, but let it pass. “I need you to do something for me.”

“What’s that?”

“I have some wine over here at my table, and I need an objective opinion on it.”

“You mean like a taste test?”

“Something like that.”

Richard glanced over at Jeremy, who was talking to Andy and hadn’t even spotted him yet. _Fine._

“Lead the way.”

He followed James across the room and took the offered chair. There were two bottles of wine on the table along with two empty wine glasses and one full water glass. Sarah appeared and sat down opposite Richard. She smiled at him but said nothing.

“Sarah,” said James, “is under strict orders not to influence your preferences here. I want an honest opinion.”

“Don’t I need a blindfold or something?” Richard said.

“That’s not a bad idea,” mused James, “but I don’t have any with me right now. Just shut your eyes instead.” He opened one of the bottles and poured some of the wine into the glass. “Drink some water first.”

Richard did so, then picked up the wine glass, swirled its contents around, closed his eyes, and took a sniff. 

“Fruity,” he murmured, and took a sip. “Mmmmm….that’s pretty fabulous, James. I think I’m tasting a hint of pear. Very sweet. Very nice. I like it.” He took a second sip. “I like it a lot.”

“All right,” said James. “I’m taking that one away. Clear your palate and then try the other one.”

Richard set the fruity wine down, opened his eyes, and drank some water, swishing it around his mouth to take the taste of the wine out of his mouth.

James opened the second bottle and poured it out. “Okay. Try this one.”

Richard closed his eyes, swirled the new wine around, and sniffed. The aroma of this one was much lighter. He sipped. The wine was dry, and not very flavourful. He shook his head. “Not nearly as good.”

“I told you so, sweetheart,” said James.

Richard opened his eyes in time to see Sarah pick up the first bottle. “That’s the one, then,” she said.

“It is,” James confirmed.

“I’ll let them know.” She got up from the table and walked away.

Richard was confused. “So…what was that about?”

“We couldn’t decide which wine to serve at our New Year’s Eve party. She wanted the dry, I wanted the fruity. You broke the tie.”

“Happy to help,” said Richard. “Mind if I finish that first glass?”

“Be my guest,” said James.

Richard picked up the glass. “Cheers.”

James nodded in return. 

Richard lifted the glass and was about to take another drink when he felt something shove into the back of his chair. The glass tipped towards him and spilled half of the remaining wine onto Richard’s brand-new jumper.

“Shit!” Richard yelped, springing to his feet. “Jeremy’s going to kill me!” he added before he could think about what he was saying.

“Sorry, sorry!” said the interloper, backing away hastily with a laugh. It was Xander, the quiz boy, already drunk off his arse. Of course.

“Jeremy?” asked James.

Richard grabbed a handkerchief from his pocket and swiped at the front of his jumper. “This was a birthday present! And he hasn’t even seen me in it yet!”

“Jeremy…gave you a jumper,” said James thoughtfully.

“We’re dating!” snapped Richard. He was still swabbing at his clothes. Luckily, it was white wine, and it shouldn’t stain the fabric too much, but still…he’d been wearing it less than two hours, and already…

“Dating?” asked Iain, who had suddenly appeared. “You? Jeremy?”

Richard flushed. He hadn’t meant to say it so loud. He hadn’t meant to say it at all, but…there it was.

James cocked his head. “You know, I had begun to wonder why I couldn’t reach Jezza a couple of nights ago – it was your birthday, wasn’t it? Happy belated one, by the way.”

“No one’s supposed to know,” hissed Richard, but it was too late. Iain, a notorious office gossip, had already gone off into the crowd with his news. Heads began to turn in Richard’s direction, and much of the conversation around him died down.

Well, he still had an ounce or two of good wine left. He drank it down and handed the glass back to James, who took it silently, an expression of sympathetic concern on his face.

Jeremy was still talking to Andy, but Iain was rapidly approaching, and Richard could only stand helplessly and watch. And listen, for the cameraman’s voice carried all the way across the room.

“I hear you and Hammond are dating.”

Richard could see Jeremy do a double take. He stepped away from Andy and turned. His gaze fell on Richard.

Richard smiled and waved at him, feeling his face burn.

Jeremy’s expression softened from annoyance to admiration as he recognised that Richard was wearing his birthday gift. He shook his head and grinned back at Richard, as if to acknowledge the near impossibility of keeping a secret very long with these people. He handed his drink to Andy and beckoned Richard to come over.

Richard did so, trying to ignore all the polite stares and whispers. Jeremy was holding out a hand, and Richard took it, feeling the solid pressure of the other man’s fingers as they entwined with his own.

Jeremy led him to the head of the room and turned around to face the crowd, still holding Richard’s hand.

“Yes, it’s true,” he said, his big voice projecting all the way to the back of the room. “Richard and I have been a couple since the beginning of October. I didn’t want to make a big fuss about it, but I guess he had other ideas.”

There was laughter, and a couple of wolf whistles. Richard looked anxiously at the faces near him, but there was no hostility, only a few looks of puzzlement, but mostly smiles.

“In the past few months, I’ve found that there is only one good way to make Richard shut up.” And Jeremy began walking again, toward the far corner of the room. “Look up,” he whispered to Richard.

Richard did, and saw a sprig of something green hanging from the ceiling. “Oh God, that’s…” but he was cut off by Jeremy’s lips on his, Jeremy’s big hands on his shoulders, and the smell of Jeremy’s cologne on his skin. He surrendered, pulling Jeremy closer, relaxing into the embrace as applause broke out all around them.

“You really do look fabulous in that jumper,” Jeremy said in his ear. “But I can’t wait to get it off of you tonight.”


End file.
